New Zealand Bus & Coach Tour Reviews

I took the risk of booking for the grand pacific Tour (GPT), 10 day Ultimate South Island package after Easter 2024, without any advise on TA on my travel agent's advise. It was the only long tour available at the end of the warm season that fitted my schedule. Linda, our guide and driver, smoothly and meticulously organised it all: meal and happy hour timing, luggage handling, seat rotation, upcoming weather and more. Her strict punctuality secured uneventful transfers to the TranzAlpine Train, Milford and river cruises, helicopter tours and other optional excursions. The large coach bus has a maximum of 20 comfortable reclining seats with electrical buttons like in a premium class flight; a cold water fountain, a fridge; a toilet (none of us has used it since we have many comfort stops); earphone, personal water bottle. It was actually a blessing that during our trip, wifi on board was not functional and disconnected us from our reality back home during the escapade! Excellent choices of destinations and best accommodations possible at each town: all hotel rooms were huge (except the Hôtel Distinction in Te Anau, a very good 3stars as the usual GPT's favourite was unavailable), stylish and modern with smart lighting, optimal soundproofed rooms so we don't hear hotel guests come and go at different hours; quiet temperature control system; extensive TV programmes; sophisticated shower heads, yes! shampoo and conditioner so you can travel light. It was the excellent New Zealand Coach Tours agent, Ella Stalker, who advised me. She figured my travelling style quickly and matched it with what was available. Thanks Ella!

Excellent tour arrangement by Chelsea. David, our tour guide / driver, did very good job. Beautiful country. Great itinerary to cover South NZ island. Strongly recommend to any small group of travellers.

My Trip was fantastic from start to finish I will recommend Petra for her great service and NZ COACH TOURS for looking after my bookings. grand pacific Tours gave me a wonderful experience on the tour could not be better. The coach, hotels and places they took us to were first class. The coach driver and the staff of grand pacific Tours looked after all of us and my fellow travellers all agreed we had a wonderful trip.

A magnificent tour with the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen. Our tour director/driver Linda was exceptionally knowledgeable and giving a thorough commentary throughout the tour in an entertaining manner, cannot praise her enough. 11/10 for the tour.

I had the most amazing time on my south island tour the people the bus driver the tour leader and the motels and most of all the scenery and the things we did were amazing. Right from day one when I rang up about doing the south island tour the lady was lovely. I would recommend the bus company to all my friends and family. Hoping to do 1 next year!

Well planned and organized tour which delivered everything it promised. Comfortable coach and hotels, well informative guide and drivers and covered all major attractions either included or optional. As a vegetarian, food options were little less for me but easily manageable. 2 things which I would like to suggest is, the guided tour time wherever history is involved can be reduced as people from outside New Zealand may not be able to connect with it. And, with people having longer full names (like Indians) please get their communicating name during tour as it will be easy for them to tell under what name bookings are done.

A good 'snap shot' of New Zealand's North and South Islands. So much to see. Thank you. Lots of diversity, with train, and ferry and Gondolas!!.

Thank you so much Christine for organising this tour and the extras we added on at the end. The bus was comfortable and Shelley the driver and Peter our guide were both helpful and informative. We enjoyed the fact that the whole tour ran smoothly, thanks in part to these two. South Island scenery is spectacular, all accommodation was of an excellent standard and meals very good. We would recommend New Zealand Coach Tours and grand pacific for those wishing to visit this lovely country.

We thoroughly enjoyed the tour on the whole - good group of people, good driver and tour guide in Ian and Vicki and a wonderful variety of places on our tour. The only negative comment I could make is that some days we felt rushed and not enough time was allowed for buying lunch and having a little look at the village or town. It seemed that getting people to the optional activities on time was the priority, even though only a minority of people was taking part in those.

We enjoyed the south island, it was great but we felt that the constant coughing should have been checked as by the end COVID was on the bus. We had to leave and isolate in Rotorua. We feel sort of cheated; but understand rules are to be obeyed. Jo Moore was great, but 48 passengers were way too many to handle, Tony the driver was the ultimate professional very good driver and good source of information. Some of the buffet dinners left a bit to be desired and some of the accommodation wasn't great, but we understand the Affordable in the tour name. Overall we enjoyed the tour and one day look forward to finish it.Apart from the end we loved the tour,the people we met the staff and thank you Janette for all your help.

Overall was a good trip, the Cyclone affected several parts of the North Island section, unfortunately some of the activities were eliminated due to weather. Favorite of the North Island was a wonderful coach driver who took us on the "Ninety mile beach", Dunes, Cape Reinga. Even with bad weather he made it great. Kauri Museum and the Gallipoli museum in Wellington, fantastic. Optional tours for Helicopter's and Aircraft which we love. Great at Mt Cook National Park and Milford sound. With a group tour over three weeks and distance glad we did it. Met lots of nice people, majority of Hotels very nice and all clean. Some buffets not great, surprised at the Sky Hotel, plates cold, even some of the food cold but rooms lovely. One thing I would have preferred was to choose "optional activities" in advance. For us not enough time at many stops, felt rushed in most places. I've wanted to visit NZ for many years so I achieved that. Found NZ very clean and people very friendly.

It was a great trip! The coach and our driver/guide Paul were excellent. I think if you are only able to go to New Zealand once in your life this itinerary is the one to take. Also, the staff at the Hotel Montreal that you booked for our second night in Christchurch were wonderful. Thank-you Lydia for all your help. I wish grand pacific ran tours in other countries as they do such a great job.

The tour ended yesterday and I’m flying back home to Sydney today. The tour guide was Jo Moore. There are no words to describe her efficiency, diplomacy, good mood, politeness, enormous energy, sense of humour and the tireless repetition to us geriatrics of what’s going on and what we should not forget…that woman is a gem!! Everything was perfectly organised and I will join her next year! Toni the bus driver drove us like raw eggs, very carefully 👍❤️ and his wonderful descriptions of landscapes and history of the places were very interesting! Thank you Toni and thank you Jo ❤️

As a quick trip to see the highlights of the South Island this tour fitted the bill. Unfortunately for us the train was not operational on days that fitted with the tour. I would suggest that future promotion mentions this possibility as most people of our trip were disappointed at not having that experience. The tour was well managed, meals and accommodation were excellent. It is a beautiful part of the world.

The tour was great, we thoroughly enjoyed it. Nichole's communication and professional manner was excellent

Our trip was great - I have already done a review but would like to add that Nichole was super helpful everytime I was in contact, as were the experts on the chat box. Regards Julie-ann

We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The drivers and tour leader were terrific! Great value for money.

We had the most amazing time on this coach trip, beautiful scenery, sensational meals and very friendly people on board the coach, great tour guides and comfy bus with plenty of room, exceptionally clean The agent who booked my tour was very helpful with no hiccups. The only problem was caused by the cancellation of InterIsland ferry and not grand pacific's fault and of course being snowed in at Dunedin but I loved the snow. Highly recommend this trip.

Thank you Chelsea for all your help with our trip. It was our first overseas trip and we had no idea what to expect, you helped us with all aspects of this and made it a stress free journey. We would definitely recommend grand pacific Tours.

Hi we had a great time and thanks for all your help. Only disappointment is that we didn't receive the forms to order the jackets and hats but otherwise exceptional treatment and help.